Coolant band

ABSTRACT

A band of textile material is disclosed containing a pocket with an opening for receiving and storing a bag of freezable liquid or semi-liquid material. The band has an elastic or adjustable means associated with it for maintaining the pocket and the bag contained therein in direct contractive engagement with the part of the anatomy to be cooled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to body cooling devices and morespecifically to an elasticized or adjustable band of cloth material tobe worn on the body having at least one pocket for receiving and storinga container of frozen liquid or semi-liquid material.

Body coolant devices having compartments containing ice are not new, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 1,567,931 discloses a compress having a pocketwhich can be filled with ice or hot or cold water for use in relievingpain or inflammation. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,877 a closed endtubular container lined with waterproof material is taught having aplurality of separate compartments arranged in series each of which canbe filled with ice and wrapped around the head or body of a person tocool same. These devices have the common disadvantage that thecompartment receiving the coolant must be made of a separate waterproofmaterial and be sufficiently large to accommodate ice in cube or largedcrushed form thus rendering the device bulky, heavy and generallyuncomfortable to wear. Filling such compartments with ice and removingand cleaning same after the ice melts is also a time consuming and messyprocedure.

Other types of devices for cooling various parts of the body aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,506,013 and 3,900,035 wherein bandages aredisclosed having bags containing a freezable liquid permanently enclosedin a textile material. These devices have the serious disadvantage thatthe entire device must be placed in a freezer which often results ineither the outer surface of the textile material becoming stuck to thefreezer itself with likelihood of subsequent damage upon removal orfrost is generated on the surface of the material which must be removed.In additon, there is the disadvantage that where cooling for a longperiod of time is desired, a plurality of separate complete frozendevices is necessary.

Applicant's device overcomes these aforementioned disadvantagesassociated with devices of the prior art by providing a device in theform of a elasticized or manually adjustable band of soft textilematerial which has at least one compartment with at least one openinginto which individual bags or containers of frozen liquid or semi-liquidmaterial are placed for use and subsequently removed when melted forrefreezing and reuse. The band can be washed when necessary and alsoreused.

Applicant's device of the present invention is particularly suited to beworn around the head or wrists to thereby reduce body heat and absorbperspiration of those engaged in physical effort such as sportparticipants and workers. This device is also suited for cooling variousparts of the body for medical purposes.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide anew and improved coolant device with a wider range of uses, moreconvenience, and also complete mobility.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a coolantdevice in the form of a band having at least one compartment into whichcan be placed sealed, refreezalbe liquid or semi-liquid filledcontainers.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a coolantdevice utilizing individually sealed containers each filled with afreezable liquid or semi-liquid material.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a coolant devicewherein the individual sealed containers are linked together which bothenables a plurality of the containers to conform to the contour ofvarious parts of the anatomy or be separated from each other if more orless cooling is desired.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a coolantdevice utilizing pre-sealed, freezable, liquid or semi-liquid filledcontainers which can be quickly and easily taken from a freezer orportable insulated cooler and inserted in one or more recesses in thedevice.

The invention will be hereinafter considered and described in detail andin connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate thepreferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coolant band of the presentinvention as worn on a person's head;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coolant band revealing the pocketfor receiving and storing a container of frozen liquid or semi-liquidmaterial;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the coolant band taken along thelines 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the coolant band taken along thelines 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the linked containers having freezableliquid or semi-liquid used in the band of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a part of another embodiment of theband of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a part of another embodiment of theband of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a part of a further embodiment ofthe band of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, the coolant band of the presentinvention is shown generally at 10 comprising an annular shaped band 12of terry cloth or other absorbent textile material in as many layers asdesired. I have shown the band 12 in a form in which the fabric isarranged in two layers, the first layer 14 having an uninterruptedsurface 16 and the second layer 18 having a surface 20 wherein the endsof the fabric are joined to a strip 22 of elastomeric material such asfabric covered rubber as can best be seen by referring to FIG. 4. Theelastometic strip 22 maintains the surface 20 and the band 12 in generalin direct contractive engagement with the part of the anatomy to becooled. The strip 22 may, of course, extend around the entire surface 20or, as shown in FIG. 2, only extend a portion of the distance. Theelastometic material 22 may be woven, knitted or otherwise made a partof the fabric construction. The band may also be held in engagement withthe part of the anatomy to be cooled by means of a manually adjustablestrap or the like 23 shown in FIG. 8.

In the embodiment of the coolant band 12 shown in FIG. 2, a rectangularshaped strip 24 of soft absorbent textile material is connected bystitching 26 along three of its sides to the surface 20 of second layer18 to thereby form a pocket 28. The stitching 26 also extends inwardly adistance 26a from the ends of the strip 24 for a reason to be discussedlater.

The coolant for the band 12 is provided by means of a plurality ofcontainers or bags 30 formed of water impermeable material such as aplastic film. The containers 30 are filled with a liquid material or asemi-liquid or gel-like material 32 at the time of manufacture and arehermetically sealed. The containers 30 are connected by a length offlexible plastic 34 in link fashion. Linking the containers 30 enables aplurality of same to easily bend to conform to the shape of the part ofthe body to be cooled. Linking the containers 30 also permits their easyseparation from each other when just a specific number are required tocover the desired area. Normally, when the liquid material 32 is plainfrozen water, articulation of the linked containers is provided by thelength of flexible plastic 34 which connects the containers. If,however, more flexibility is desired, the material 32 can be, forexample, a gel or a solution of propylene glycol and water or brinewhich turns into a semi-liquid slush when cooled.

The linked containers 30, are, when removed from the freezer in theirfrozen state, inserted into pocket 28 such that the end most containersare positioned beneath the extended stitching 26a as can best be seen byreferring to FIG. 2. The extended stitching 26a served to retain thecontainers 30 in the pocket 28 during movement of the band 12.

The uninterrupted surface 16 of first layer 14 can be provided with anadhesive strip 38 sewn or otherwise secured thereto as shown in FIG. 6.The adhesive strip 38 would permit the attachment of the band 12 tosunvisors and the like (not shown) or would permit the band 12 to beattached to the inside of hats, helmets, caps or other headgear and thelike.

In another embodiment of the coolant band 12 as shown in FIG. 7, atleast one vertically extending slit 36 is provided in the second layer18 through which the linked containers 30 can be slipped. The layers 14,18 support the linked containers 30 and no separate pocket such as 28 isthus required. The extra effort required by the user to feed thecontainers through the slit 36 would be possibly compensated for by thereduced cost of the overall band 12 resulting from the absence of thepocket 28.

Another embodiment of the coolant band 12 is shown in FIG. 8 whichcomprises an outer layer 40, an intermediate layer 42 adjacent theretoand an inner layer 44 forming a tunnel-like pocket 46 for receiving thelinked containers 30. The double layer of fabric 40, 42 aidssignificantly in insulating the containers 30 against externally appliedheat from the environment thus extending the duration of the effectivecooling of the containers. In the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 8, asingle piece of fabric is used which is folded on itself to form thedouble layer 40, 42 and tunnel-like pocket 46. The layers are secured toeach other at points 48. However, any one or all of the layers 40, 42,44 may be separate pieces of fabric sewn together if desired. If layer44 is shorter than 40 and 42, at least one opening for insertion ofcontainers will be provided at each vertical end of shortened layer 44.

Also at least one horizontally extending slit 50 can be provided in theinner layer 44 to the tunnel 46 to enable the linked containers 30 to bequickly and easily inserted and removed. It being understood, of course,that the horizontal-type slit 50 can be used on the embodiment of FIG. 7and the vertical-type slit 36 can be used on the embodiment of FIG. 8.The buckle and strap 23 can also be used on any other embodiments toprovide a manually adjustable means to keep the coolant band 12 incontractive engagement with the part of the anatomy to be cooled.

It should be understood, of course, that the overall length and numberof pocket 28 can vary depending on the extent of the area of the anatomyto be cooled.

In use, a plurality of sets each having the desired number of containers30 are placed in a freezer or freezing compartment of a conventionalrefrigerator. When frozen and needed, a set of the containers 30 areremoved from the freezer and inserted in either the pocket 28 of tunnel46 or slit 36. The band is then positioned around the part of the bodyto be cooled. When the ice in the container 30 has melted, the band canbe removed from the body and the warm container returned to the freezer.A new set of containers can then be inserted and activity resumed. Whenthe band is no longer required, the container set can be returned to thefreezer for refreezing and reuse and the band can be permitted to dry orbe washed. Both the band 12 as well as the container sets 30 can thus bereused continuously.

In the foregoing description, a number of different embodiments of thepresent invention have been set forth. Other modifications andvariations of the present invention as hereinbefore set forth may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly,only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:
 1. A coolant band comprising:a. an annular strip of textilematerial having an inwardly presented surface and an outwardly presentedsurface; b. coolant means containing a freezable liquid or semi-liquidmaterial; c. pocket means attached to said inwardly presented surface,said pocket means having enclosed distal ends to insure retention ofsaid coolant means in said pocket and an opening between said ends toenable said coolant means to be inserted and removed from said pocket,and d. means associated with said strip to maintain said inwardlypresented surface and said pocket in direct contractive engagement witha part of the anatomy to be cooled.
 2. A coolant band as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said outwardly presented surface has an adhesive thereonfor enabling said strip to be attached to the inside of hats, helmets,caps or other headgear and the like.
 3. A coolant band as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said coolant means comprises a plurality of individualliquid or semi-liquid filled bags linked end to end.
 4. A coolant bandas set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said pocketin engagement is made of elastomeric material.
 5. A coolant band as setforth in claim 1 wherein said elastic means is woven, knitted orotherwise made apart of the said textile material.
 6. A coolant band asset forth in claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said pocket inengagement is manually adjustable.
 7. A coolant band as set forth inclaim 6 wherein said pocket means extends around substantially theentire length of said inwardly presented surface.
 8. A coolant band asset forth in claim 6 wherein said pocket means has additional means forholding said coolant means in said pocket.